The 360 Static Duster: A Product Review

I am a collector. Although I don't have nearly the amount of knick-knacks I once possessed, I still have a few angels, crosses and Russian style jeweled eggs. Those, of course, require constant dusting, which I do on a regular basis.

What I hate about dusting is all the tricky little cracks and crevices it is necessary to penetrate in order to get an object truly clean. That is why I am always on the look out for something that will help make my job easier.

I have purchased a few static type dusting tools in the past. They have been successful at varying degrees, with my favorite so far being the Swiffer 360.

Recently, I noticed that Dollar Tree has started marketing their own 360 Static Duster, which they claim compares to the Swiffer 360. But does it? Let's take a look.

Swiffer claims thousands of special cleaning fibers that work to trap in dust and allergens. In fact, they say their tool can trap as much as 90% of those items.

The 360 Static Duster doesn't make that same claim and the fibers used in that duster are totally different that those of the Swiffer 360. That begs the question, "are these two products actually equitable?" The answer is, "probably not."

Having used both dusters now, I still prefer the Swiffer, especially with the latter's allergen and dust claims. I have a lot of allergies, so that little extra help means a lot to me. Therefore, I can only give the 360 Static Duster 2 out of 5 stars in this area.

The length of the handle between the two dusters is roughly the same, meaning that they can both fit into about the same spaces, lengthwise. Both also have 360-degree capabilities. However, I do think that the fibers of the 360 Static Duster make it easier to get into all those tiny cracks and crevices. That means it wins this category at 5 out 5 stars.

While some of the Swiffer Dusters have expansion handle capabilities, the 360 Static Duster does not. Therefore it gets 0 out of 5 stars in this area.

Both the Swiffer Duster and the 360 Static Duster will pick up dirt, fibers and hair about the same way. This earns the 360 Static Duster another 5 out 5 stars.

Both dusters also have disposable heads. However, while Swiffer comes with one head, Static Duster comes with two. That is double the cleaning power, earning it another 5 out 5 stars.

When it comes to price, the 360 Static Duster easily wins at $.50 each as opposed to several dollars for a single Swiffer. That is worth another 5 out of 5 stars.

Both the Swiffer 360 and 360 Static Duster claim they are good for dusting blinds, bookshelves, electronics, furniture and more. Both succeed about the same way, earning Static Duster another 5 out 5 stars. I should note here; however, that neither duster is very good when it comes to dirt that is already matted onto blinds. They only work on fresh dust and debris.

If there is a downfall to the 360 Static Duster over Swiffer 360, it is the quality of the fiber head. In truth, neither duster is what you could call sturdy. However, the 360 Static Duster is slightly more flimsy in nature, pulling apart easily when it gets snagged on things. Therefore, it only gets 3 out of 5 stars in this area.

360 Static Duster earns a total of 30 out of 40 stars. That averages out to just 2.8 stars, which is still only average. The Swiffer 360, in comparison earns another 5 stars, making it the clear choice between these two similar products.

It is also important to note that the 360 Static Duster is made only for dusting. It cannot be used on anti-glare coated or wet surfaces.

RATING SCALE:

5 stars = outstanding
4 stars = good
3 stars = average
2 stars = below average
1 star = poor